The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-03-03


he declined q denomination. In 1851 he was
elected TO tho Supreme Bench Of Ohio for q
term Of four years, and was Chief Justice por-
tion OF that period He resumed the practice
Of law in Columbus in 1876, and was retained
in q great many important cases. His opinions
delivered while he was on the Supreme Bench,
contained in the first five volumes of the
''Ohio State Reports" were remarkable for
their strong and lucid expression Of his legal
views, and they had much 10 do with tho ex-
tension Of his reputation as lawyer and
jurist.
He was unanimously nominated by the Dem
ocratic party Of Ohio as its Gubernatoral can
didate In 1857. In this remarkable campaign
the issue principally discussed was whether the
constitution Of the State should be SO amended
as to authorize negro suffrage. The preceding
Republican Legislature having submitted such
an amendment to be voted upon at the October
election OF that year, Thurman commenced an
early and aggressive canvass, being on the
stump about four months and making
hundred speeches Of force and ability. He
secured almost perfect organization in every
county, and brought all the speaking talent Of
the party to his active and enthusiastic sup
port, meeting the we'll trained corps OF Re
publican speakers at every point, and ut the
ballotbox, In a vote larger than had ever been
polled in the State, the suffrage amendment.
was defeated by over fifty thousand votes.
The Democrats elected q large majority Of
ture. He was defeated for Governor. Tho
caucus Of the Democratic members OF the
Legislature, upon its assembling, by large
majority nominated him as candidate for U. s.
Senator; his opponent for the nomination was
the late Hon. G. L. Vallandigham, and his Re-
publican opponent the late Benjamin F. Wade,
whom he succeeded in the Senate. In 1873 he
was reelected to the Senate. William Allen
was elected Governor by q majority Of six
hundred. without depreciating the efficiency
Of Governor Allen" says o Democratic
writer, land the many able and earnest Dem
ocrats who mingled in the Fray it is certain
that the complete success OF the Democratic
party In Ohio in 1873 was principally due to
the deep and abiding faith OF Thurman in
the Democratic organization, and his skill
and inf1exible purpose in holding his party
in line after tho disorganizing campaign Of
1872"
Upon reaching Washington to take his seat
in the Senate on the 4th OF March, 1859, Sena-
tor Thurman found his fame as lawyer de-
batter and politician had preceded him. and by
common consent he was regarded US the leader
and exponent OF the Democratic party in that
body-a position which he maintained for
twelve years. Upon entering the Senate he
was assigned to the Judiciary Committee, and
continued to be o member Of that committee
during his entire term in the Senate. In the
Forty-sixth Congress his party obtained q
majority Of the Senate, and he became the
also elected President pro tempore Of the SEN
ate, and, because Of the illhealth and absence
Of Vice-President Wheeler, presided much of
the time with ability and impartiality Thur
man will be longest remembered for introduc-
ing. advocating and causing to be passed bill
since known as the Thurman act," relating
to the Pacific railroads. BY this act It is said
that more than 100000, 900 was saved to the
people.
The opposition to the passage Of this act was
fierce, even INSCRIPTIONS. The friends OF the
railroads employed every means, influence and
argument, both in and out of the Senate, TO de-
feat 1t. The bill, as was asserted with great ve-
hemence, was unconstitutional but its constitu-
tionality was clearly established by Thurman
in speech Of great power, and his position in
this respect has since been sustained by de-
cision of the Supreme Court OF the United
States. Senator Thurman was not led to intro
duce and advocate the passage Of this measure
because of fanatical opposition to railroad cor
porations rs such but simply to establish and
secure what he believed to be the plain contract
rights Of the Government Frrs g. p
As speaker he is forciblc and direct vast
ing no time upon immaterial Matters while his
manner evinces that he is wholly sincere and
greatly in earnest. He always received marked
attention while addressing the Senate, for it
was understood that he never spoke unless he
had something to sar," and that IL was worth
while for both friend and foe to know what that
something was. His course in the Senate
was far from that Of mere partisan. Though
in minority for the most part OF the time, he
exercised great influence with the majority, by
whom he was held in the highest personal
esteem for his courtesy, ability, integrity and
purity Of character.
Prior to the assembling OF the National Dem
ocratic Convention in st. Louis, in 1876, his
name was very generally mentioned by the
press in every part of the country as n favorite
candidate for President, but division of the
party In Ohio upon the currency question pre-
vented his friends from urging his nomination,
or announcing his name to the Convention as q
candidate. In 1880 there was o still more gen.
eral expression in the country favorable to his
nomination for the Presidency The Demo-
cratic State Convention OF Ohio, of that year,
assembling to appoint delegates to the Nation
al Convention, at Cincinnati, unanimously
adopted resolutions favoring his candidacy,
and instructing the delegation from Ohio to
vote for md support him in the National
Convention. On tho fret ballot in the
latter Convention he received the vote
of Ohio and a very fattering vote from other
States, the whole vote having been very much
divided among number of local favorities. He
also received the vote Of Ohio and some from
other States on the second ballot, but before
the conclusion of the ballot II became manifest
that General Hancock would be nominated and
the vote of oil tho States was changed to the
latter, with the single exception OF Indiana
which State adhered to ex-senator Hendricks
to the end. Senator Thurman has been almost
universally acknowledged by the Democracy of
the country as the ablest and best representa-
tive Of the party, and from his long and eminent
services rendered to it, ought 70 entitle him TO
further consideration. EIt w. -ft
Motives of policy undoubtedly prevented the
Convention from nominating Thurman, not be-
cause he was not popular. for no man before the
convention had as many friends or fewer
enemies, but he lived in Ohio. State, under all
ordinary circumstances, certainly Republican.
And Is the October election in that State for
ofhcers would be regarded as test of the
strength OF the Presidential candidates. In No
vember. 1t was feared that the Democracy
with all OF Senator Thurman's popularity in the
State, would not be able to wrest IL from the
Republicans with fayorite son, in the person
Of General Garfield, % their candidnte, The
feat OF the Democracy In Ohio in October might
be disastrous TO success with Thurman as the
candidate was duly magnifed by the imme-
diate friends of other candidates. Tho chances
OF either party were, however, then regarded
as about equal, and to assure success Demo
Gratis thought 1t wise to look to and regard
every condition and circumstance that might
possibly AFFECT the result. H.+
On retiring from the Senate, March 4, 1881, he
determined to devote himself to his private
Affairs and to decline all Invitations TO become
name or character. In very few weeks, how.
ever, he was appointed by President Garfield,
with ex-senator Evarts, to represent the Amer
icsn Government In the International Congress
TO assemble In Paris in the spring of 1881. to con-
slider and agree, II possible, upon tho propriety
OF fixing uniform rule by which silver should
be regarded % money by the countries therein